to the Lord in the Land of the Living. I believed, therefore have I spoken; what I fet forth of the Wonders of the Lord, that have I experienced. And faith the Apoftle, 1 John i. 3. Thefe Things write we unto you, that ye alfo may bave Fellowship with us, and truly our Fellowship is with the Father and with the Son Jefus Chrift; and we would have you live as we do, live on Chrift as we do. O'faith the Believer, that all Perfons did but know Christ, and live upon Chrift: We write unto you, that ye also may have Fellowship with us; for truly our Ends and Aims are that you may live as noble Lives as we do; and truly our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jefus Christ: It is God in Chrift that we live upon and have Communion with: O the Soul that experiences what it is to live on Christ, defires in all Things to enjoy Chrift. The Spoufe would not step a Foot without him. Come my Beloved, let us go forth into the Fields; let us lodge in the Villages; let us get up early to the Vineyards, let us fee if the Vine flourish. Ah you that have experience of Chrift! Methinks it fhould be your Voice always on your Beds, and in your walking, Come let us go, come my Beloved, and wake with me, come and watch over me; Come my Beloved, let us go forth into the Field; let us lodge in the Villages; the Spoufe knows the Sweetness of his Company, the Excellency of his Prefence, the Glory of his Holinefs. Without Chrift, what would a Sermon or a Sabbath be? What though I could lay up Silver like Duft; if I could heap up Gold like Pebble Stones, ifI could gain all the Riches of the World, what is it all without Chrift? But the Believer knows what it is to enjoy Christ, and to live in Christ,

and

and therefore cries, O let him be with me in all I do, in all my Undertakings. Lord, my Soul waiteth and watches for thee. Pfalm cxxx. 6. My Soul watches for thee more than they that watch for the Morning. As a Man that is in Sorrow all Night, he longs for the break of the Day. Saith the Pfalmift, My Soul doth wait for the Lord, I am not an out-fide Profeffor, my Soul is engaged in the Work. I wait for the Lord more than they that watch for the Morning. What ftirs up the good Man to this earneft longing for God? Oh, he had the Experience of the tweet Comforts he had found in Communion with the Lord! That Soul muft needs be dead and carelefs in feeking the Lord, that experiences not what it is to enjoy the Lord in Duties and Ordinances, O that it might please God to convince all you that hear me this Day, that have been formal, carelefs Profeffors! Had you ever had a Taste of Chrift, you could not be content to go on fo cold and carelefs as most of you do in your Profeffion.

The eleventh Reafon or Ground is this, A Believer knows it to be a glorious Life: We are changed from Glory to Glory into the fame Image. Now the Believer knows it to be a glorious Life, because he hath received, and doth expect great Things from Chrift, Saith the Soul, I will live upon Chrift, for I have received great Things from Chrift.

First, I have received the Pardon of my Sins from him; I was under the Wrath of God, but now I have Redemption through his Blood, the Forgiveness of Sins, according to the Riches of his Grace, Eph. i. 7. I am a pardoned Soul; I am

faved from Wrath by him, even that Jefus that faves from Wrath to come, 1 Theff. i. 10.

Secondly, I have received Juftification by him; a Righteousness to stand before God, being justified freely by his Grace, Rom. iii. 24.

Thirdly, I received Sanctification from him, Acts xxvi. 28. Who were fanctified through Faith in Christ Jefus.

Fourthly, I have received Confolation from Chrift; and then I expect great Things to come, I expect when this poor earthly Tabernacle is laid down, for Chrift to raise me; not only to raife my Body out of the Grave, but to change my vile Body, and fashion it like unto his glorious Body, Phil. iii. 21. I do expect to fee my Lord coming with his glorious Train, when the last Trump fhall blow, awaking me out of my Sleep, and raifing up my Dust at the laft Day, John vi. 44. I expect at Christ's appearing a great Glory, Tit. ii. 13, 14. Looking for that bleffed Hope and and glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jefus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all Iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar People, zealous of good Works. Saith the Believer, I live upon Chrift, because I expect great Things from Chrift when Christ comes; I have a bleffed Hope, I defire he may be my Life, all in my Life; I look for great Things when Chrift comes; it is a bleffed Hope that I have: When will you have your Hopes accomplish'd at the glorious Appearance of the great God, and our Saviour Jefus Chrift? Why do you expect fuch great Things? I will tell you, because he gave himself for me, and redeemed me. You that have low Thoughts of Christ, can you expect great Things from Chrift?

Can

Can you fay even Amen, fo come Lord Jefus you that feldom invite him into your Closets now, can you now expect his coming will be joyful to you? Will you not rather fay, Let not thy Chariot Wheels make such speed, for I am not ready. What, is he a coming? Have you a bleffed Hope in him? If one of you fhould go to many and fay, Do you hope for Chrift's coming? They would fay, yes; but have a Care for many have a curfed Hope, a vain Hope, and a bad Hope, a devilish Hope I fear. When Christ comes, many will be dreadfully mistaken. What can you expect at Chrift's coming, when you do not defire Chrift here? A little Thing takes their Hearts off from Chrift; their Hearts are more fet on other Things than Chrift; they have not invited Chrift, nor have a bleffed Hope in Chrift: But all you Saints that have made Chrift your Life, will have a bleffed Hope in Chrift at Death. You that can speak with Comfort you defire not Life, nor any Means nor Mercies but what you enjoy Chrift in them. You will have a bleffed Hope when the glorious Trump is founded before him; you will fay, What, is that the Voice of my Lord? Is this Trump for me? Muft I awake, be raised up, be glorified with my Lord; go in with my Lord; go in with the glorious Church Triumphant, and fit upon the Throne with them but for the poor, careless, lifeless, legal, formal Profeffor, the dead-hearted and trifling Profeffor, Chrift's coming will be a dreadful appearing to you: What is Chrift's appearing, when I have not made him my Life, I have not lived upon him, I have not lived to him? I am at a Distance from him, I am a Stranger to him. O fee how furious are his Chariot Wheels! Is that him in

Flames

Flames of Fire ? What makes the Mountains tremble? O my Heart, how can't thou but thake at the Sight of him; but the Saint, he rejoyces, and he hopes, and waits for the glorious appearing of Jefus Chrift. O Saint, have you but little here but fhort Hints here? but little Comfort here? The great Comfort is, That you make Chrift your Life, that you live on Chrift; and tho' you do enjoy but little now, I tell you there is great Things for you when Chrift appears; looking for that glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour, who gave himfelf for me. O, faith a Believer, I long to fee that Face that was fpit upon for me: I long to fee that glorious Body that was pierced for me that glorious Head that was crowned with Thorns for me; thofe Hands and Feet that were nailed to the Crofs for me. It will be a bleffed, a glorious Hope, the Lord Jefus's appearing. Oh I long to fee him: I expect glorious Things; I expect a glorious Crown, glorious Robes, a glorious Throne; I expect everlasting Joy, and I expect Rivers of Pleasure. Is not this an Inducement to a Believer to make Chrift his Life? When we expect great Things, how does it caufe us to be intent about them? Where a Soul expects high Things, and great Things from Chrift, they will live upon Chrift, and to Christ, make Chrift their All In all Mercies, and Comforts, and Enjoyments, what is the Reafon many are poor, carnal dead Profeffors, and have low Thoughts of thofe Things that are preached in the Gofpel; but becaufe they never relifhed Chrift? And it is as much as ever they can do to creep along in the Ways of God; and may be fomething of Confcience caufes them to perform Duty. But where

the